


Something So Magic About You

by justyrae



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Magical Realism, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-09-01 20:16:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20263912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justyrae/pseuds/justyrae
Summary: Alec doesn't believe in magic, but a certain shopkeeper might be able to change his mind.





	Something So Magic About You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pillarboxred](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pillarboxred/gifts).

> THIS REMAINS JEN'S FAULT BUT I SUPPOSE I REALLY HAVE NO ONE TO BLAME BUT MYSELF SO LET'S JUST GET ON WITH IT.

Alec tries not to look at the clock sitting on his desk, taunting him with every tick. He knows staring at it won't make the afternoon go by any faster and all it will do is make him more annoyed at how slow the day has passed by. His eyes are drawn to it regardless of this and he curses under his breath when he sees that only a minute has passed since the last time he looked, and it's only been four minutes total since Izzy left her desk.

He sighs heavily as he sits back in his chair, listening to it creak as he tosses his pen down onto his desk. There's a bustle of activity around him; a fairly standard Friday afternoon in the precinct with a promise in the air of things only getting more hectic as the day fades into night. Normally Alec likes the uncertainty of this job but today he feels more tired than usual and it's making everything he usually enjoys about his work seem more difficult than it needs to be.

The problem is he can't really even escape work when he goes home because Izzy's there too, talking about current cases even when she's promised not to. But the one thing that really drives Alec up the wall when it comes to Izzy is the one thing that could get them both fired if she doesn't quit running her mouth: their family history.

It's not that Alec doesn't remember the stories, how could he not? He remembers how excited he'd get when their grandmother would sit them down and regale them with the legends from their ancestors and their magic. Even if he didn't remember, Izzy has made it her personal mission to ensure these stories are never lost and has retold them a thousand times over, mostly to Alec.

The difference is that Alec knows they're just stories. He knows magic isn't real and that these stories were made up by their great-great-great-great-grand-whoever a hundred plus years ago to entertain their own children. While he may have been idealistic enough as a child to believe them then, he knows better as an adult. Izzy, on the other hand, does not.

Izzy believes with every fiber of her being that magic is real. She even claims to have seen it with her own two eyes, though Alec doesn't believe her. He knows her better than anyone else in the world, and he knows what it sounds like when she's making something up. Still, he indulged her when they were younger and he kept doing it for probably longer than he should've.

Now that they work together in the same precinct, he really wishes he'd squashed all this nonsense back when they were kids so he wouldn't have to act like an asshole now.

"Alec!"

He jumps, nearly tipping his chair backwards entirely when Izzy re-appears at her desk with a flounce and a grin aimed at her brother. Alec clears his throat as he rights himself, pulling his chair back towards his desk and choosing to pretend that nothing happened.

"Izzy," he says. "Where've you been?"

"Around," she says, hiding her toothy smile as she turns her head towards her computer and starts typing away on her keyboard.

"Izzy," Alec says again, closing his eyes as he groans softly. "Please tell me you weren't harassing the evidence guys again."

"I wasn't _harassing_ anyone," she replies without turning her head even a smidge towards Alec, "I was simply asking a few questions."

"What kind of questions?" Alec asks, although he's afraid he already knows what Izzy's answer is going to be. But instead of replying, Izzy tilts her head forward to hide her face behind her hair and she continues to type. "Izzy," he says, his voice dejected and tired.

"What?" She turns her head to look at him with a defiant look in her eyes, one eyebrow raised like she's challenging him to enter into this pointless debate.

"You know what."

"No," she says as she turns back to her computer, "I don't think I do."

"Izzy," Alec repeats. His voice is stern this time around as well as louder. Izzy finally stops typing and sighs heavily as she turns her whole body towards him, resting her hands on the edge of her desk.

"I was following up on a lead," she says, "that's all."

"And this lead didn't have anything… _different_, did it?"

Izzy's mouth twists as a guilty look appears on her face, and Alec sighs heavily again.

"This time it was-- Alec!"

As soon as Izzy starts talking, Alec rolls his eyes and starts shaking his head as he gets up from his desk. He doesn't want to hear another one of her excuses about how _this_ time was different because she had some kind of proof or that the weird guy she met downtown was totally trustworthy unlike the last one. Alec knows his sister is smart but sometimes he just doesn't understand how she can be so dumb.

Izzy trails behind Alec as he heads to the break room, continuing to argue in her favor despite Alec not listening. He doesn't even have a real reason to go to the break room other than the vain hope that Izzy would stop talking if he actually walked away.

Honestly, he should've known better.

"If you would just stop being a dick and _come with me_\--" Izzy starts as Alec starts pouring himself a cup of terrible coffee, but she stops when he turns around and stares blankly at her.

"I already told you, I'm not chasing any more stupid leads with you."

"They're not stupid," Izzy argues, quite possibly for the hundredth time. "And you'd _know_ that if you'd just--"

"Just what?" Alec says as he slams the coffee pot back down and closes the distance between them so he doesn't have to speak above a hiss. "Everyone else in this place already thinks you're insane, Izzy, and I'm not about to join in so they can prove that our whole family is crazy."

Izzy steels her jaw and stares back at Alec with fierce eyes. She doesn't argue but he can see that his words have hurt her far more than he meant them to. He softens after a moment, sighing deeply as he puts his hand on her shoulder.

"I don't want to fight about this anymore, Iz."

Izzy looks down at the floor and sniffs loudly as she crosses her arms. "You're the one who keeps fighting me about it," she says in a miserable, petulant tone.

Alec takes a deep breath, resisting the urge to tighten his grip on her shoulder as a way to vent his frustration.

"We can _talk_ about it at home," he says after a few seconds pass and his anger subsides. "Just… not at work anymore, okay?"

"Fine," Izzy snaps before turning on her heel and storming out of the break room. Alec groans under his breath as he turns towards the sink and dumps out his cup of coffee before crushing the paper cup in his hand and chucking it into the trash can.

He didn't even really want the coffee anyway.

Izzy gives him the silent treatment for the rest of their shift. If Alec's being honest, it's not the end of the world. It actually allows him to get a fair amount of work done even though every time he glances in her direction she's glaring daggers back at him. He supposes it's a good thing that magic isn't real because if it were and Izzy could harness its power, he'd surely be killed or at the very least maimed on the spot.

He isn't sure whether to expect the silent treatment to continue once they're back in their shared apartment, though it surprisingly does on the subway ride there. Izzy doesn't even stand near Alec, choosing instead to push through the busy car to make herself comfortable at the complete opposite end from where they got on. Alec doesn't follow her, he doesn't even try to catch her eye, he just sighs heavily and holds onto the handrail above his head while the subway tunnels pass by in a blur outside the window.

The last straw is when they actually reach their apartment and not only does Izzy not hold the door for Alec, she actually tries to slam it in his face.

"Okay, that's enough," Alec says angrily as he pushes the door open again and steps across the threshold. Izzy pauses mid-step but doesn't turn around, instead waiting to hear if Alec is going to say anything else.

But when he doesn't, because he's just as stubborn as she is, Izzy whirls around and crosses her arms as she glares at Alec.

"What, _now_ you want to talk?"

Alec scoffs. "I told you, I didn't want to--"

"You didn't want me to make a scene," Izzy snaps. "I don't know when you turned into Mom, but if it's alright with you I'd like to have my brother back."

"I haven't turned into Mom!" Alec groans. "I'm just trying to keep you from being a complete laughingstock, don't you see that?"

"Maybe I wouldn't be such a laughingstock if my own brother actually believed me and listened to what I have to say!"

"It's not that I don't believe you, I just--"

"Yeah, right," Izzy scoffs. "Don't think I can't see the look in your eyes every time I bring this up, Alec. You think I'm crazy, just like our parents do."

Alec deflates. "Iz. I don't think you're crazy."

"Then why won't you listen?" Izzy's breath catches a little, but she steels herself and carries on. "I really think I'm onto something here, Alec."

"Iz…"

"You know me," she continues, "I'm not making this up, I swear."

Alec sighs heavily. "I never said you were, I just… I stopped believing in this a long time ago, Iz. You know that."

"Couldn't you just try? For my sake?" Izzy takes a few steps towards Alec and he sighs a little. She's always known how to get him wrapped around her finger, even if sometimes it takes a little more effort than usual.

"Maybe," he admits, "just this once."

Izzy's frown is replaced with a winning smile in half a second and Alec groans at the sight of it. She was laying it on _thick_ and he fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

"I knew you'd see it my way," she says, reaching out to pat her brother's face gently, laughing when he pushes her hand away.

"Yeah, yeah." Alec sighs. "You've got one shot, Iz. This is your last chance, alright?"

"That's all I need," she replies haughtily. "I'm telling you, this is the break I've been looking for."

Alec rolls his eyes. "What do I have to do?"

*

"You've _got _to be kidding," Alec says as he drags his eyes up and down the facade of the building before him. Izzy jabs him with her elbow, catching his ribs just right to make him wince and hiss in pain.

"Don't judge a book by its cover," she says.

"It's covered in vines," Alec says flatly. "In November. In Brooklyn."

"It's called an aesthetic, Alec." Izzy waits for Alec to look at her and then she grins widely. "Or, maybe it's magic."

Alec rolls his eyes. "Let's get this over with."

He lets her go first through the door to the shop, giving himself a few more seconds of peace in the outside world before he steps across the threshold. The bell above the door rings again as Alec shuts the door and it adds to his overwhelmed senses after only a few seconds inside.

The small shop is absolutely chock full of cabinets and shelves lined with dozens of knick-knacks, small bottles with detailed labels, and so many flowers that the scent in the air alone gives Alec a headache. He loses Izzy in a matter of seconds which should be impossible given the size of the shop, and yet even with following in her footsteps he still can't seem to find her.

Alec sighs deeply as he absentmindedly browses the items displayed all around him. They all bear the shop's logo which he remembers seeing amongst all the vines on the outside of the building, and they all appear to be made in-house. Rows upon rows of tinctures, salves, and all manner of homeopathic goods surround him. Alec has never felt more out of place in his entire life.

He's got half a mind to just call out Izzy's name and tell her he'll wait outside, that he cannot stand another minute in this shop, when he comes to the end of the aisle he'd wandered down and is met with a sight that takes his breath away.

Standing behind the counter is perhaps the most beautiful man Alec has ever seen in his life. He's talking with another customer, smiling and seemingly enjoying the conversation, while Alec's brain goes into near-meltdown mode. He can't move a muscle, he can hardly breathe. He hardly notices the smell in the air that was so offending to him mere moments ago; all he can do is stare at the gorgeous being just a few feet away.

Alec's eyes are transfixed on him so intently that when he laughs a few seconds later, tipping his head back and exposing the long lines of his neck, Alec can't help but trace it with his eyes while his heart starts beating wildly in his chest. His mind races with a hundred thoughts, ranging from _what made him laugh like that _to _I wonder what his skin tastes like_.

"There you are," Izzy says, appearing at Alec's side out of nowhere and startling him so badly that his elbow knocks against a pyramid of bars of soap, sending them hurtling towards the ground.

Alec curses under his breath, looking first at Izzy and then at the mess he's made, and then finally back at the object of his distraction only to find out that he's finally been spotted as well. Alec curses again as he tears his eyes away from him and drops down to his knees in a hasty effort to tidy up his mess.

"That's alright," a warm voice says as a gentle hand closes around Alec's wrist, pulling him back up to his feet, "don't worry about it."

"I… I'm sorry, I--" Alec stumbles over his words as he's met face to face with the very person he was just staring at.

"Accidents happen," the man replies, smiling at Alec. While the smile on his face is gentle and comforting, the way his eyes trace the whole of Alec's body in one fell swoop leaves Alec light-headed and feeling dizzy.

The feeling disappears in an instant a few seconds later when the man turns to Izzy and grins widely at her. "Back again so soon?"

Izzy laughs awkwardly, her eyes darting back and forth between him and her brother as Alec snaps out of his daze and turns to look at her very slowly.

"What?"

"Nothing," Izzy says. She brandishes a bottle as she puts herself between Alec and the man, and soon the two are walking back over towards the register while Alec is left standing in the same spot.

It takes another few seconds and the man clearing his throat for Alec to remember himself and follow suit, joining Izzy at the register and trying not to make eye contact with either of them.

"Did you see anything you liked?"

Alec's head snaps up at the sound of the man's voice and he panics for a brief moment. He looks to Izzy for help, who stares straight back at him with the sort of look that tells him she has no idea why he's acting so fucking weird right now and could he please get a grip?

"No, I…" Alec clears his throat. "This, uhh, isn't really my thing."

"What, if I may inquire, isn't your thing?" He doesn't sound offended, but rather curious, which is probably why Alec finds himself actually answering the question.

"All of this," he says, clearing his throat again. "Hippie stuff, you know."

The man chuckles and Izzy groans under her breath, hissing his name softly but sternly. Alec's cheeks bloom with embarrassment, but the man still doesn't seem to find any offense with Alec's behavior. In fact, he seems rather amused.

"I suppose we do cater to a certain clientele, though I'm not sure if _hippie_ is the term I'd apply. Enlightened, perhaps."

Normally this sort of conversation would have Alec rolling his eyes and searching for a quick exit, but there's something about the man's smile that has Alec positively enraptured.

"You'll have to excuse my brother," Izzy says as she hands over the payment for her purchase, "he doesn't get out much."

"Is that so?" The man chuckles as he opens the ancient register and counts out Izzy's change. "Well, you'll have to bring him around more often, won't you…?"

"Izzy," she says as she accepts her change with a bright smile.

"Pleasure to meet you, Izzy. I'm Magnus." He extends his hand to her and she shakes it before he turns to look at Alec expectantly, and in that moment Alec can't manage to make his vocal cords work.

"This is Alec," Izzy says, giving up on Alec after a few seconds of silence.

"Alec," Magnus repeats, extending his hand to Alec the same as he did to Izzy.

Alec looks down at Magnus' hand for a brief moment before he shakes it, feeling the warm press of metal from Magnus' rings against his own skin. Magnus draws his fingers against the palm of Alec's hand as he pulls away, sending sparks down Alec's arm and through the rest of his body.

"If you change your mind," Magnus says as he waves his arms around with a small flourish, "you're more than welcome to come back and see me."

Izzy giggles and Magnus seems to preen at the reaction, while Alec is still trying to get a hold of himself. He's never been so affected by anyone in his _life_ and to have it happen in front of his sister is quite possibly the worst thing that's happened in a long time.

Neither of them say a word to each other until they're out of the shop and Alec feels like he can actually _breathe _again. He looks at Izzy, who's already looking at him with the judgiest eyes he's ever seen on anyone, and he sighs heavily.

"Shut up."

"I didn't say anything."

"_Shut up_."

*

Magnus is still smiling an hour later when Catarina steps through the door of the shop, flipping the sign in the window from open to closed after she shuts the door behind her. All it takes is one look at Magnus and her expression changes.

"What's gotten into you?" she asks suspiciously.

"Whatever do you mean?" Magnus asks. He loves to play hard to get, whether it be romantically or platonically. He's rarely in the habit of giving anything away without a bit of fun.

"You're _happy_." Catarina narrows her eyes as she leans across the counter, staring Magnus down as he goes about counting the day's take from the till.

"It was a good day," he replies, glancing at her briefly before turning his attention back to the task at hand.

"You're never this happy after working," Catarina continues, still looking at him with suspicion, "so something else must've happened."

"You're paranoid, my dear."

"And you're a terrible liar."

"I have nothing to lie about."

"_Liar_."

Magnus closes the register and lets out a breath as he turns to face Catarina head on. The silence lasts for approximately ten seconds before they're both laughing, the sound echoing in the otherwise quiet shop.

"Alright, alright," Magnus relents. "Something did happen today."

"I knew it," Catarina replies proudly. "Tell me all about it."

Magnus chuckles wryly, tilting his head a little as he shrugs his shoulders. "Honestly, there's not much to tell."

"There has to be something, otherwise you wouldn't be so…" Catarina waves her hand around. Magnus raises his eyebrows.

"I'm not…" Magnus waves his hand around in the same fashion, though his seems far more sarcastic than Catarina's had.

Before Catarina can argue her point further, they're both distracted by a meow from overhead. Magnus looks up just in time to see his cat, Chairman Meow, leap off of one of the cabinets and land gracefully on the counter in front of him. He swishes his tail in Catarina's direction as he turns to look at Magnus, blinking a few times before meowing again.

"I'm terribly sorry," Magnus says as he begins petting Chairman Meow on the head, paying special attention to the spots behind his ears, "but his Chairman clearly needs me, so if you don't mind…"

He scoops Chairman Meow into his arms and turns his back to Catarina, starting in the direction of the staircase at the very back of the shop. Judging by the sound of her huff, Catarina is supremely unimpressed by Magnus' tactics.

"I won't give up that easy!" she calls after him. "I'll find out what happened sooner or later!"

"Be a dear and lock the door behind you!" Magnus calls back over his shoulder, smiling into Chairman Meow's fur as he ascends the stairs.

He fully intends to spend the rest of the evening imagining how lovely Alec looks with red cheeks and hoping in vain that he'll come back to the shop. The only soul he tells about Alec is Chairman Meow, mostly because he knows the cat won't tell anyone else. He's acting a bit like a schoolgirl with a crush and the last thing he wants to do is give his friends any more ammunition for teasing.

*

Nearly a week after meeting Magnus, Alec has mostly forgotten about him. Or at least, that's what he tells himself. He absolutely refuses to believe that the man in his dreams every night is the same man he met in the shop, no matter how similar they may be to each other. Alec also refuses to answer any of Izzy's probing questions about that night, instead for once turning the tables and asking her about this _magic_ he was supposed to be seeing when they went there.

"Oh, I think you saw a different type of magic," Izzy says, far too confidently for Alec's liking.

"Shut up," Alec mutters. "That was your shot, Iz, and now it's done."

"But--"

"But nothing. I told you it was your last chance and nothing I saw in that shop convinced me of anything."

"Really?" Izzy says dryly. "Not a single thing?"

"Shut up," Alec repeats, turning away so Izzy can't see the redness in his cheeks. He's _not_ thinking about Magnus at all so she needs to just leave it alone.

"Well, in that case, I'll just have to go back and gather real evidence."

Alec immediately turns back around and stares at her. "What?"

"You heard me," Izzy replies without even glancing up.

"Izzy, you can't."

"Why not?" Izzy hums softly as she taps a finger against her chin. "I've been thinking about going back anyway, that lotion I got last time is _divine_ and I definitely don't want to run out."

"Iz," Alec says sternly.

"Oh, please." Izzy rolls her eyes. "I won't be in danger. Surely you remember Magnus and now nice he was, don't you?"

Alec grits his teeth. "I might."

Izzy beams. "See?"

"That doesn't mean that you should go waltzing in there asking questions and accusing people of witchcraft."

"I'm not _accusing _anyone of anything," Izzy replies. "I'm just following up on a lead like a good detective should."

Alec groans loudly and buries his head in his hands. His sister really is going to be the death of him, he just knows it.

"Unless _you_ want to do it for me."

Alec lifts his head. "Do what?"

"Go back to Magnus' shop, pick up another bottle of lotion, and… y'know." Izzy shrugs a little. "Do some digging."

"No. Absolutely not." Alec shakes his head. "No way."

"Alright," Izzy says with a sigh. "Suppose I'll just have to go myself, then. I don't see why going there by myself should be an issue…"

Alec groans again, regretting the day he asked his parents for a sibling with every fiber of his being.

"Fine," he grunts. "I'll go."

Izzy grins. "Excellent! The shop is open until 8 tonight. You can go after your shift."

"I--" Alec stares at her for a moment and then shuts his mouth. He's absolutely been had, but there's nothing he can do about it. He really needs to learn to stop underestimating his sister.

The rest of the workday passes by far too quickly for Alec's liking, which should be a welcome respite from the usual drag of the afternoon. Izzy continues to make Alec's life a living hell by smirking at him every single time he happens to glance her way. His cheeks have been positively burning with embarrassment for hours and he can't imagine it'll get any better when he actually goes to Magnus' shop.

At this point he's actually considering _not_ going to the shop and enduring whatever teasing he may receive from Izzy. This is cancelled out only by the possibility of proving Izzy wrong once and for all and never having to hear the word _magic_ again, which means Alec really has no choice.

He has to go see Magnus.

At six o'clock on the dot, Alec gets up from his desk and starts putting on his coat. He stares resolutely at the floor even though he can feel Izzy's eyes on him. He knows without a doubt that she's smirking again, waiting for even the tiniest look in her direction so she can pounce. Alec refuses to give her what she wants and grunts out a goodbye as he swings his bag over his shoulder and starts walking towards the precinct exit.

"Have a good time!" Izzy calls after him, catching the attention of some of their coworkers. Alec pauses momentarily, groaning under his breath as he hears the start of whispers amongst the people around him, but he doesn't turn around.

Alec doesn't let himself relax until he's on the subway, and even then it's only letting out a deep breath. He leans his head against his arm that's holding onto the railing above his head and thinks long and hard about how he got himself into this mess.

Despite his annoyance and utter embarrassment, even Alec can't deny that some small part of him is looking forward to seeing Magnus again. Maybe he's not remembering correctly and Magnus isn't as attractive as he thought he was. That would certainly make this whole situation easier on Alec; if Magnus is just another normal guy then Alec never has to see him again.

Maybe he was just hallucinating because of all the different smells in the shop mixing together and what Alec thinks he saw wasn't really what he saw. Maybe he won't be a bumbling idiot this time and he can get in and out of the shop in five minutes with enough proof to shut Izzy up for good.

This idea seems fairly plausible to Alec and it's a big part of the reason why he actually continues on his way towards the shop. He has several chance to turn around and head home instead, but he doesn't. When he spots the vine-covered shop at the end of the street, he steels himself against any feelings of embarrassment and heads for the door.

He takes a deep breath before reaching for the handle, telling himself _everything is going to be fine. Magic isn't real, and Magnus is just a normal guy. You can do this._

When he steps into the shop he's hit with the same overwhelming smells as the last time, but expecting the onslaught actually helps Alec keep a somewhat clear head. He closes the door behind him and glances around but he doesn't see anyone in the shop. There's a shelf blocking the view of the register so Alec makes his way around it, following the same path he did the previous time.

Only this time, he meets someone new along the way.

A small cat darts out from behind one of the displays and startles Alec enough that he stumbles backwards, though thankfully he doesn't knock anything over this time around. The cat looks up at him and meows softly while Alec stands stock-still. He's not entirely sure what to do when the cat suddenly comes towards him and starts rubbing its face against his ankles and then looping through his legs.

Alec breathes out a nervous chuckle and takes a cautious step forward, but the cat immediately follows. It keeps rubbing up against Alec's legs and it soon becomes clear that Alec is going to have to do something about it or else run the risk of accidentally stepping on it.

"C'mere, kitty," he murmurs softly as he kneels down and scoops it into his arms.

He fully intends to put it down on one of the nearby shelves, but when he tries to it immediately turns back around to him and stretches out its paws towards him, meowing pitifully until he picks it back up.

"Okay," Alec mutters to himself. "I'm not bringing you home with me," he says to the cat as he starts petting it. The cat doesn't acknowledge that he's spoken a word, it's far too busy purring as Alec strokes its ears.

Alec continues down the aisle as he keeps giving the cat attention, but he keeps an eye out for any signs of Magnus. He's not entirely sure if the cat he's found is Magnus' cat or if it's a stray that somehow found its way into the shop, so he's trying to prepare for any situation he may shortly find himself in.

However none of this prepares him for what he does see when he finally spots Magnus. He's not alone, nor is he with someone who appears to be a customer. Alec would never admit it aloud, but he feels an overwhelming sense of jealousy the moment he sees Magnus with this other man and it gets _infinitely_ worse when they share a hug a few seconds later.

Alec is so distracted by what he sees before him that he stops petting the cat entirely. Before he can realize that he's just standing there staring at Magnus and this mystery man in a way that's anything but friendly, the cat meows loudly and swipes at Alec's hand in protest.

It catches Alec's attention in a heartbeat and he hisses, cursing under his breath as he pulls his hand away from the cat. It also catches the attention of both Magnus and the mystery man, who have stopped hugging in the meantime and both turn towards Alec with differing looks of interest.

Alec stares blankly at the two of them, unsure of how to proceed now that he's been caught. Magnus is looking at him with absolute surprise, but the other man has far more suspicion in his eyes and a smirk on his face that Alec doesn't trust for a second.

"Well," he says, the smug tone of his voice matching his smirk, "looks like you've got some other business to attend to, Magnus. I'll leave you to it."

He steps away from Magnus and towards Alec, the smirk on his face growing larger as he gives Alec a once-over as he passes by.

"Good _night_, Raphael," Magnus says pointedly as Alec stares Raphael down. Magnus' voice draws Alec's attention back to him despite the discomfort he feels at being sized up.

Raphael disappears from Alec's periphery and the front door of the shop opens, and Alec is about to breathe a sigh of relief when the man's voice rings out clear across the shop.

"Have fun," he says, and then the door closes behind him. Alec's cheeks burn with embarrassment and he suddenly remembers he's _holding a cat that doesn't belong to him_.

"I… umm… found this cat," he says awkwardly.

"So you did, Alexander." Magnus smiles as he steps towards him, reaching out and giving the cat a few loving pets on its head without making any movement towards taking him from Alec. "I'm surprised."

"Surprised?"

"Chairman Meow doesn't usually like anyone to hold him other than myself." Magnus looks up at Alec and there's a sparkle in his eyes. "And here he is, letting a pretty boy like yourself carry him around."

Alec's entire _body_ burns with embarrassment as a thrill runs down his spine. Normally he'd probably take offense to being called _pretty boy_ but there's something about the way Magnus says it that makes Alec want to hear it again immediately.

"I just… he wouldn't leave me alone and I didn't want to step on him." Alec swallows hard and Magnus chuckles.

"He has good taste," Magnus says as he starts walking back towards the register, leaving Chairman Meow in Alec's arms. "He doesn't take kindly to most strangers. He's what you might call a..."

"We have that in common," Alec says before Magnus can finish his sentence, not having realized Magnus was still talking.

"...daddy's boy."

Alec freezes when he realizes what Magnus has said and what his own comment could mean in context. If it were possible, he'd most definitely melt into the floor right now out of sheer embarrassment and never look Magnus in the eye again.

Magnus, to his credit, doesn't comment on it. But the look of absolute delight on his face says more than enough and Alec still desperately wants to disappear.

"Well," Magnus says, glossing over the awkwardness in the air as he smiles warmly at Alec. "What can I do for you this evening, Alexander?"

"Alec. It's just… Alec," he replies, clearing his throat as he attempts to set Chairman Meow down on the counter without incurring further wrath.

Magnus raises a curious eyebrow and Alec immediately loses any sort of nerve he had moments ago.

"B-But you can call me Alexander, if you like." He shrugs helplessly once Chairman Meow is out of his arms, waiting with bated breath as Magnus draws out his agony by paying attention to the cat.

"Are you here for anything in particular," Magnus asks, a smirk curling on his lips as he pauses before saying, "Alexander?"

"I…" Alec clears his throat again and fights to remember why he's here in the first place. He had a reason, he knows it, but all bets are off any time he looks into Magnus' eyes. "My sister."

Magnus waits patiently for Alec to get a hold of himself and form a proper sentence. The smirk is still there, goading Alec with every second that passes.

"The, umm, the lotion that she bought last time," Alec says once he's finally remembered himself. "She sent me to get another bottle."

"Ah." Magnus nods, chuckling softly to himself as he rounds the counter once more. "Of course. I'll procure one for you, wait right here."

Alec does as he's asked, though as Magnus passes by he finds his eyes wandering along the same path Magnus takes. He forces himself to look away when they're drawn to Magnus' backside, purely out of fear that he'll be caught ogling once again and his embarrassment will somehow become even worse than before.

He turns his attention forward and as a result, back to Chairman Meow. The cat is sitting back on its hind legs and staring quizzically at Alec, almost like he knows the inner turmoil that's going on inside his head. Alec looks away, finding himself feeling uncomfortable under the feline's stare.

Magnus returns a minute later with a bottle in his hand and sets it down on the counter in front of Alec before he walks around him, letting his hand graze along Alec's back as he goes. Alec swallows harshly and tries not to shiver at the feel of it.

"Anything else strike your fancy while you were browsing?" Magnus asks, his tone far too casual when he's still smirking like he sees right through Alec.

"Nope," Alec replies, his voice tight as he shakes his head. "Just… y'know." He taps the top of the bottle with his finger and Magnus snickers softly.

"It's very kind of you to come all this way just for this one bottle," Magnus says as he rings up the purchase. "If you don't mind my asking, what's in it for you?"

Alec blinks, hesitating for a moment before he hands over payment. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Magnus' mouth twists as he shrugs, the uncertain look replaced a moment later by another winning smile, "to my recollection, the last time you were in my little shop you seemed a bit… reticent."

Alec laughs awkwardly, but Magnus remains unphased.

"I have to say, I didn't think I'd be seeing you again so soon," he goes on as he slips the bottle of lotion into a bag and holds it out for Alec to take.

"Well…" Alec laughs again, feeling both utterly embarrassed and impossibly charmed. "I…"

"Which leads me to believe," Magnus says as he places his elbows on the counter between them, leaning forward as he rests his chin in the palm of one of his hands, "that you didn't _just_ come for your sister's benefit."

If Alec's cheeks weren't red before, they're positively crimson now.

"That…" Alec tries to concoct a plausible and believable denial of Magnus' claim, but he comes up short. "...might be true," he says. His heart races in his chest as he waits for Magnus' reply; every second feels like a lifetime.

Magnus makes him wait nearly a full minute before a grin blooms across his face and he stands up straight once more.

"In that case," he says as he gently pushes the bag between them to the side, "how do you feel about tea?"

"Tea?" Alec repeats, for a moment thinking he must've heard wrong.

"Well, I was going to suggest dinner, but then I thought that might've been too forward--"

"I could do dinner," Alec interrupts. He hardly knows the words are tumbling out of his mouth before suddenly they're out there in the world, and Magnus is giving him a look of pure amusement which must mean that whatever is going on with Alec's face must be absolutely hilarious.

He's seen that same look on Izzy's face enough times to know that he really should try to learn how to balance what he's feeling versus what his face is doing.

"Alright, then! Let's do dinner." Magnus claps his hands together. "How about tonight?"

"Tonight?"

"Well, you see, I live upstairs," Magnus says as he gestures towards the ceiling, "and it just so happens that tonight I was planning on testing out a new recipe and it'd be a shame not to share it with someone."

Alec gulps. On the one hand, he _barely_ knows Magnus. The cop side of his brain is screaming at him that this is a terrible idea, but there's another voice - that sounds suspiciously like Izzy - telling him that he'd be an absolute fool to say no.

"That… sounds…" Alec pauses for a moment as his brain finally catches up to his mouth, "great."

Magnus beams. "Perfect."

*

Alec remembers to grab the bag for Izzy just in the nick of time before he follows Magnus past the counter and towards the staircase at the back of the shop. Chairman Meow is already waiting for them at the top of the stairs and he voices his distain for being made to wait, to which Magnus replies with gentle cooing as he scoops the cat back up into his arms again.

"You spoil him," Alec says.

"I prefer the term _well taken care of_," Magnus replies with a grin. He unlocks the door to his apartment and steps over the threshold, immediately stepping aside to let Alec do the same.

Once they're both inside, Magnus shuts the door and deposits his keys onto a small table beside it. The noise of the keys attracts Alec's attention momentarily - he'd only seen a glimpse of the keys downstairs when Magnus walked past to lock the front door. The minute or so he'd been left alone gave Alec another chance to rethink what he was doing, but he still came to the same conclusion: this is where he wanted to be.

"Please," Magnus says as he puts Chairman Meow down on a nearby sofa, "make yourself at home."

"Thanks," Alec replies. He sets the shopping bag down on the table next to Magnus' keys and takes another step into the apartment, letting himself look around at the place.

It's tastefully decorated with lots of opposing styles of furniture and knick-knacks. Alec's approach to interior design is _less is more_ but when he thinks about the shop downstairs, the atmosphere of Magnus' apartment feels just right.

Except for one thing: it's _huge_.

Alec's head is on a swivel for a good three minutes as he glances all around, trying to figure out how the hell this could possibly work. By all accounts, the layout and size of Magnus' apartment just doesn't seem to make sense and he hasn't even _seen_ all of it.

Not wanting to pry, Alec doesn't go snooping behind closed doors. He does a loop around the living room, clocking several doors which he presumes to have bedrooms attached on the other side. A stray thought of wondering which door leads to Magnus' bedroom crosses his mind but he quickly pushes it out of his head when he hears Magnus' voice coming from the kitchen.

"Would you like something to drink?"

Alec spins around and finds Magnus standing in the doorway, watching him with a smile on his face.

"Umm, yes?" Alec chuckles nervously. "I'll… have whatever you're having."

Magnus makes a small noise of surprise and turns back around, disappearing once more into the kitchen and leaving Alec on his own.

Chairman Meow leaps onto the back of the sofa and nuzzles his head against Alec's arm, meowing softly until Alec starts petting him. A smile creeps across Alec's face as he starts scratching the cat behind his ears, letting the action distract himself from trying to figure out the secret behind Magnus' apartment.

"And you say _I _spoil him," Magnus comments as he appears at Alec's side with a glass of red wine in each hand. He hands one to Alec and clinks his own against it, giving Alec a slightly wicked look as he says, "cheers."

"Cheers," Alec repeats as he brings the glass up to his lips, only taking a small sip. It's sweeter than he expected and he enjoys the taste, but somehow just the one sip goes to his head faster than he thought possible.

Magnus takes a much larger sip of his own as he reaches out to pet Chairman Meow, letting his fingers graze across the top of Alec's hand. The contact startles Alec a little and he pulls his hand back, laughing awkwardly again and clearing his throat.

"Do, uhh, you need help with anything in there?" He gestures towards the kitchen and Magnus smiles at him.

"That's very kind of you to offer, Alexander, but it's unnecessary. Our meal will be ready in a little while, it's in the oven now."

"Wow," Alec says, tearing his eyes away from Magnus and staring down into his wine, "that's… impressive."

When Alec looks up again, Magnus' eyes are sparkling.

"I just…" Alec hesitates, feeling hot under Magnus' gaze, "...it didn't take very long to make, did it?"

"Well, I did have a bit of a head start on the prep," Magnus admits.

"Oh." Alec nods. "That… yeah, that makes more sense."

"I'm very thorough in my prep work," Magnus says, smiling as he lifts his glass to his lips and takes another long sip of his wine.

Alec swallows hard before he does the same, drinking far more of his wine than he intended to in one sitting. His head feels a bit like it's spinning and he can't really tell if it's because of the wine or because of how close Magnus is standing to him at that moment.

"Are you alright, Alexander?"

"Yeah," Alec replies quickly, "just… y'know. Long day."

"Of course," Magnus says as he gently turns Alec and leads him around the sofa so they can both sit down, "please, sit."

"I, umm, like your place," Alec says as they both make themselves comfortable, for lack of anything better. "It's very…"

"Chic? Eclectic?"

"Big," Alec says. Magnus laughs delightedly and Alec joins him, his laugh quieter and far more reserved.

"Yes, well," Magnus sets his wine glass down on the coffee table in front of the sofa, "I'm very fortunate in that I own the building, so I've been able to renovate as I see fit."

"You…" Alec looks around again, "...you own the _building_?"

"Indeed I do," Magnus says. "Like I said, I'm very fortunate."

Alec closes his mouth for fear of blurting out the wrong thing. He's not even sure how to respond so in all honesty, it's best for him to say nothing at all. Instead he takes another sip of his wine and tries not to stare at Magnus.

He can't help but think of Izzy at a time like this; how ecstatic she would probably be if she knew where Alec was at this very moment. He's fairly surprised she hasn't tried texting or calling to see where he is, for she surely must be home by now. The fact that she hasn't checked up on him puts Alec on edge, something he's certain Magnus is soon to notice.

Conversation flows a little easier over dinner, though it may be primarily because Magnus does the bulk of the talking while Alec shovels the delicious meal down his throat as quickly as he can without causing himself to choke. From the first bite he's positively enraptured by the taste and finds that he can't seem to stop eating, not that he even _wants _to (especially given the way Magnus preens over Alec enjoying his cooking).

Without asking, Magnus tells Alec of how he came to own the store. He vaguely references some sort of inheritance that allowed him the ease of purchasing the property and indulging in the sort of business that can be hit or miss at times. Magnus admits to having a fair amount of luck with his clientele, but Alec can't help but think that luck can only go so far before hard work is necessary for any type of real success.

He doesn't say this aloud, choosing instead to stuff his mouth full of food and hope that Magnus doesn't notice the pink tint of his cheeks.

"Surely you've heard more than enough about me for the time being," Magnus says, gesturing towards Alec with his wine glass, "tell me about yourself, Alexander."

Alec pauses mid-bite, taking his time to chew and swallow before he opens his mouth to speak.

"There's not much to tell," he says honestly.

"I hardly think that's true," Magnus replies. giving him a warm smile.

"No, really, I…" Alec laughs a little, "...I go to work, I come home, and… that's really about it."

"Do you live with someone? A roommate, or a significant other, perhaps?"

"My sister, Izzy, who…" Alec gestures towards Magnus and laughs again, "...you've met."

"I have," Magnus says, his smile becoming more fond. "She's lovely."

"She's something," Alec murmurs, clearing his throat. "It's just the two of us, there's no… I don't have…" Alec clears his throat again and avoids Magnus' eye as he says, "...a significant other."

Magnus hums, raising his eyebrow as he sets his wine glass down. "I can't say I'm not surprised to hear that, Alexander. Though, I must say, I'm relieved."

"You are?" Alec blurts out, immediately feeling embarrassed by his eagerness.

Magnus laughs. "And here I thought I was coming on too strong."

"No, I don't…" Alec ducks his head a little and a shy smile peeks out as he lifts his gaze from the table back to Magnus. "I don't think so."

"Good. I quite like seeing you blush."

Alec groans a little and presses a hand to his face, feeling the heat from his skin that only gets worse as Magnus chuckles.

"I, umm, don't normally do this sort of thing," Alec admits.

"What sort of thing?" Magnus teases. "Eat a home cooked meal? Judging by the way you've inhaled what I've given you, I'm not surprised."

"No," Alec says, laughing bashfully, "I meant…" He awkwardly gestures between the two of them. "Go on, like, _dates_."

Magnus' face lights up. "So this is a date?"

"I mean… I just thought…"

"Don't get me wrong, Alexander," Magnus interrupts smoothly, "I'd love nothing more than to call this a date, but only if you're comfortable with that."

"Me?" Magnus nods and Alec studies his face for a moment before he asks, "why?"

"Because you said, and I quote, _I don't normally do this sort of thing_." Magnus shrugs a little as he runs his finger along the base of his wine glass. "I wouldn't want to push you into anything. After all, we've only just met."

"Yeah," Alec says in a distant sort of tone.

He's trying to reconcile this side of Magnus, the gentle, caring side with the version of Magnus he'd built up in his head. It's not that he expected Magnus to be overbearing or arrogant, but discovering this cautious side of Magnus gives Alec a sense of peace he hadn't thought possible. Before he'd felt a little wary of his decision to accept Magnus' dinner invitation but now he feels like it was the best decision he's possibly ever made.

It sends a warm fuzzy feeling throughout Alec's chest, something he's never felt before in regards to another person who wasn't related to him. Despite his nerves, Alec feels _comfortable_ with Magnus. Never before has he wanted to open up to someone the way he feels like he could right now, and that has to count for something. Even though they've only just met, it's more than clear that Magnus is special.

Once they're both officially done eating, Alec offers to help Magnus with the dishes despite Magnus swearing that he has no intention of washing anything until tomorrow. Alec insists, wagering that Magnus will sleep better knowing the dishes are done.

Magnus gives Alec a very pointed look after that comment, his eyes trailing down Alec's chest in a way that sends a shiver down Alec's spine.

"If you say so," Magnus relents. "I'm holding you to that."

"Okay," Alec replies, laughing a little as he steps up to the sink. "I'll wash, you dry?"

Magnus stays quiet as he watches Alec fill the sink with soapy water and he twists a dry towel around his hands, letting it fall slack after a few seconds.

"Running errands for your sister, washing dishes right after a meal," Magnus comments, smirking at Alec when he glances over. "You really are a boy scout, aren't you?"

Alec scoffs. "Hardly."

"Certainly seem like one," Magnus replies, raising his eyebrows as he dutifully takes a clean dish from Alec and starts drying it off. "Not one for breaking rules, hmm?"

"I…" Alec falters, not knowing how to answer the question. There really isn't an answer he can give that won't either prove Magnus right or goad him into asking further questions. In the end, he doesn't give any answer at all.

"It's not a bad thing, Alexander." Magnus touches Alec's shoulder gently, sending sparks across his skin under his shirt.

Alec swallows hard, willing his hand not to shake as he hands over another plate. Magnus lets go of his shoulder to take it from him and Alec immediately misses the warmth, but he turns his focus back to the sink and silently tells himself to get a fucking grip.

Once all the dishes have been washed, dried, and put away a silence falls between Alec and Magnus. On the one hand, Alec feels like this is probably the time when he should be heading home. Izzy's most certainly off duty now and is most likely waiting for him to come back so she can pepper him with questions about where he's been all evening. But on the other hand, he _really_ doesn't want to leave.

He just doesn't know how to say it, which is why he ends up going with the first option.

"Well… I should probably get going."

Magnus' mouth twists as he ducks his head for a moment, and when he looks back up at Alec his smile doesn't quite reach his eyes.

"I'll have to find some way to repay you for doing the dishes," he says as he starts to lead the way out of the kitchen.

"But… you cooked," Alec says as he follows Magnus across the apartment.

"True," Magnus says, glancing back over his shoulder. When he reaches the front door he reaches for the handle but doesn't move to turn it yet. "Then I suppose we're even."

"I could return the favor," Alec suggests, surprising both Magnus and himself with his offer. "I mean, I don't _really_ cook, but I could try."

Magnus bites his bottom lip as he smiles, chuckling softly as he opens the door. "I'd like that very much."

Alec steps forward and lingers in the doorway, not quite out into the hallway just yet. Time is ticking by ever faster and his head is spinning with ways to draw this out as long as he can.

"Oh," he suddenly remembers, "the bag. Izzy's--"

"Ah, yes." Magnus disappears behind the door for a moment and reappears with the small bag in his hand, passing it to Alec. "Wouldn't want to forget that."

"Izzy wouldn't let me live it down if I did," Alec says with a laugh. "Probably make me turn right around and come back for it."

"Well, in that case…" Magnus pretends to snatch it out of Alec's hands and grins.

Alec swallows hard as his eyes meet Magnus', desperately trying to think of _any_ reason at all for why he shouldn't go home just yet. He blames his inability to think straight on the wine he drank with dinner, perhaps if he hadn't had it at all he wouldn't be struggling quite so much.

Magnus steps forward with a slight hesitation in his movements, taking Alec entirely by surprise when he encircles him with a hug. Alec can hardly breathe with Magnus pressed against him and he barely remembers to reciprocate the hug. He turns his head to the side to get a little closer, trying his best not to make any noise when Magnus pulls away.

Just as Alec is turning his head back towards Magnus, it coincides with what would've been a chaste kiss on the cheek. Instead when Magnus leans forward to press his lips against Alec's cheek, he catches Alec's mouth instead. Both of them freeze in an instant, separating barely an inch away from each other before Alec finds himself leaning in for another.

Magnus' hands are still on Alec's shoulders as the kiss continues and Alec tightens the grip on the bag in his hand so he firstly remembers that it's there at all and secondly so he doesn't reach out and grab Magnus by the waist.

When they finally break apart they're both breathless, and Magnus laughs.

"That was… unexpected," he says, laughing again between deep breaths.

"Sorry," Alec says, thinking for a moment that he's made a mistake.

"No, I didn't mean--" Magnus steps closer to Alec, gently cupping his face with his hands. "It was perfect, Alexander."

"Yeah?" Alec's arms shake slightly as he slips them around Magnus' waist.

"Yeah," Magnus whispers, smiling as he leans back in for another kiss.

"I, umm, I--" Alec starts, pulling back slightly as he tries to get his words out.

"You were leaving, right." Magnus chuckles as he starts to release Alec from his grip.

"No, I--" Alec pulls Magnus closer. "--I could stay, if you wanted."

"Really?" Magnus hums, wrapping his arms around Alec's shoulders as he clicks his tongue thoughtfully. "You don't have to get back to Izzy?"

Alec scoffs. "She can wait," he says before he seeks out Magnus' mouth again with his own, swallowing Magnus' laughter as they stumble back through his apartment door.

*

When Alec wakes up the following morning, the first thing he sees is an unfamiliar view. It takes a few seconds for his sleep-addled brain to remember the night before and put the pieces together to realize that he's not at home in his own bed, he's in _Magnus'_ bed.

He smiles to himself as he replays last night's events in his head before turning over, intent on getting at least a morning cuddle. Alec frowns when he finds the space next to him empty, but then he hears a soft clatter coming from outside the bedroom. He gets up and makes his way out of the bedroom and towards the kitchen, assuming he'll find Magnus making coffee or something.

Alec absolutely does not expect to see utensils floating around the kitchen while Magnus sits in his breakfast nook reading a paper. He's momentarily struck by the memory of a scene in Sleeping Beauty when the fairies use magic to clean the house - one of several films that Izzy was _obsessed_ with when they were children - until he and Magnus lock eyes and everything comes to an immediate stop.

"Alec--" Magnus says, scrambling to get up from the table. "It's not what it looks like."

"Was that…" Alec blinks, "...magic?"

"What? No, that's…" Magnus laughs nervously as he shakes his head, "...I was just--"

"Fuck," Alec says under his breath. "Izzy was _right_."

"You must still be half-asleep," Magnus says as he tries to corral Alec out of the kitchen. "Perhaps a shower would do you some good."

"No, you don't understand, I…"

"It's alright, Alexander."

"No, just… stop!"

Magnus immediately steps back and holds up his hands, giving Alec the space he needs in that moment. A few seconds of silence pass before Alec can find the words he's looking for.

"Will you show me?" Alec licks his lips and gives Magnus an earnest look. "What you were doing before. I… want to see it."

Magnus pauses. "I shouldn't."

"Please."

"You weren't supposed to see it," Magnus goes on. "What I _should_ do is turn back time, and--"

"You can do that?" Alec asks, his jaw falling open in awe.

Magnus curses under his breath. "I shouldn't have said that," he mumbles.

"Please," Alec repeats as he steps closer to Magnus. "_Please_, show me."

"You want to see my magic?" Magnus asks as he looks up into Alec's eyes. They're filled with curiosity and a sincerity that he hasn't seen in a long time.

"Yes," Alec replies, laughing softly. "I didn't think magic was real, I thought Izzy was just holding onto some crazy dream from our childhood, but--"

"You keep mentioning Izzy," Magnus interrupts. "What does she have to do with this?"

"She… she believes in magic. Like, _really_ believes. She's convinced it's real and she's been hounding me to believe her since we were kids, since our grandmother told us stories of our ancestors who could do magic."

Magnus tilts his head to the side. "Your ancestors? What were their names?"

"Why?"

"Perhaps I knew them."

Alec laughs, realizing quickly that Magnus is entirely serious. "Wait, what?"

"I think," Magnus says, clicking his tongue as he leads Alec back towards the table, "we have quite a bit to discuss."

Over the course of the next hour, Alec shares his family history with Magnus and in return Magnus tells Alec the truth about magic. He shows Alec a few simple spells, including what he'd been doing when Alec stumbled into the kitchen.

"Can you really turn back time?" Alec asks as they're mid-way through having breakfast, looking at Magnus with wide eyes after he's demonstrated another spell.

"Only by a few minutes," Magnus admits. "It can come in quite handy on occasion, but it's certainly not something I do often."

"But… you were going to?"

Magnus sighs. "As much as I wish the opposite, magic remains a secret to most of the world. It is the duty of those of us with the knowledge to only share it with a select few, usually only after being made absolutely certain that they're worthy."

"Oh." Alec looks down at the table and tries not to show the hurt he feels in that moment.

"But," Magnus says, shaking his head slightly as he starts to smile, "there's something about you, Alexander."

"Oh?" Alec glances back up, feeling himself smile the moment he meets Magnus' eyes.

Magnus shrugs. "Perhaps there's something in your aura that led to this. Normally I would never dream to perform magic with someone else around. I don't know what came over me this morning."

"Maybe your magic trusts me," Alec offers. "You said it's somewhat sentient, right?"

Magnus smiles proudly. "Perhaps you're right, Alexander."

Alec smiles back at him and reaches across the table for Magnus' hand, feeling infinitely better when their fingers lace together.

"Do you think you could… maybe…" Alec asks a while later when they're clearing the table of their breakfast dishes.

"What, Alexander?"

"Teach me some spells?" Alec looks at Magnus with hope in his eyes, feeling his cheeks turn slightly pink from anxiety over being turned down.

"I could try," Magnus replies after a moment of contemplation. He takes one of Alec's hands in his own and turns it over, running his fingers across the palm. "You _do_ have good hands."

While the anxiety disappears in an instant, Alec's cheeks turn even redder. He distracts Magnus by tugging him in for a kiss, the two of them smiling against each other's mouths.

"Do I need a wand or something?" Alec asks, putting his mouth close to Magnus' ear as his hands start to wander down Magnus' back.

"Don't worry," Magnus says, gasping a little when Alec's hands dip below his waist. "I'll be sure to give you anything you might need."

*

It's the middle of the afternoon by the time Alec reluctantly leaves Magnus' apartment. They spent the better part of the day testing out various spells, most of which left Alec rather frustrated when he couldn't get a handle on them. Magnus soothed his frustrations with lots of kissing, but that was _nothing_ compared to the time when Alec actually managed to get a spell to work.

The celebration for that likely would've lasted well into the night if Magnus hadn't insisted Alec should go home to assure Izzy he hadn't been abducted.

Alec smiles as he pulls out his phone, sending a quick _can't wait to see you again_ to Magnus before switching over to send a message to Izzy.

_you'll never guess what I found out_, he sends. There are about a dozen messages from her that he doesn't even acknowledge before slipping his phone back into his pocket.

He makes his way towards the nearest subway station but pauses for a moment and ducks into a deserted alleyway. Once he's made sure nobody's around, he practices the spell that Magnus taught him and a small flame appears in the palm of his hand.

Alec grins as he lets the flame flourish for a few seconds before he extinguishes it, turning back to the street and continuing on his way.

**Author's Note:**

> [my tumblr](http://astorytotellyourfriends.tumblr.com)


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